Page 10 of Sweet Little Spies

“No but,” her mom said with a sigh. “Just I love him. I haveto remind myself sometimes. He was hitting on the wedding planner earlier. Oneday he’s going to meet a woman who knocks him on his ass, and I pray she takeshim. I really do. I wonder how Liam did it.”

Carys snorted, an inelegant sound, but there was no otherway to react. “Nate took one look at Daisy and fell madly in love. Well, hespent one hot night with her at the club and he hasn’t looked back.”

She was thrilled for Aidan’s sister. Daisy had recentlygotten engaged to the Dom of her dreams, and Carys couldn’t wait to see whatwould happen at their wedding. Trouble often followed her almost sister-in-law,but she was adorable and always made the best of things.

Like Carys was going to do.

“Here. Let me help you with the veil.” Her mom picked up thegossamer creation and placed it on her head with a sigh. “I can’t believeyou’re getting married. You were a baby yesterday.”

“She was a hope yesterday,” a deep voice said. “She was thereason I made guacamole for nine months straight.” Her father was stilldevastatingly handsome in his tux. Sean Taggart had been the male authorityfigure in her world, and she adored him. He’d managed to build a restaurantempire without ever making his children feel like they were second place. “Youlook gorgeous, sweetheart. You look like your mom.”

Her brother stood beside him, and there was a reason all thegirls loved Luke Taggart. He was following in their father’s footsteps careerwise. Luke was an up-and-coming figure in the culinary world. In the datingworld he was mostly the stud du jour among the younger D/s groups. “You lookgreat, sis, but couldn’t you have, like, brought in some hot bridesmaids?”

Her dad shook his head and ignored her brother. “I’mserious, Carys. You look stunning, and I’m so proud of you and Aidan. This isall going to be all right because the two of you… Well, let’s just say I’vewatched him for years, and he’s loved you since he was a child. You two aregoing to be fine.”

Nope. She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to thinkabout the fact that once there had been three of them. “Thanks, Dad.”

He stared for a moment as though taking it all in and thenheld out an arm. “Ready?”

Not in any way. But she smiled and took her dad’s arm.“Ready.”

* * * *

Aidan O’Donnell stepped out on the balcony. The rest of thegroomsmen were getting ready inside, joking and farting around, but he neededsome quiet.

Just a few minutes more and he would be Carys’s husband.

He loved her so much, but there was an ache in his soulbecause Tristan wouldn’t be standing beside them.

He stared over the green fields. They’d selected a venue inthe country. It was beautiful, with rolling hills, and the stars would light upthe night when they danced their first dance as man and wife.

We have to figure out how to tango as a threesome. Caryslikes to dance. It could get our wife all hot and bothered and ready for thehoneymoon.

Aidan forced the thoughts away. He wasn’t giving Trisheadspace today. He was doing what the fucker wanted. He was marrying her tothrow off the bad guys Tris had gotten involved with. That was all the spaceTris got today.

Damn. Should he be this angry on his wedding day?

You can’t tell her. Promise me. If you tell her, she’llnever stay away. It won’t be long. I promise.

Promises. Fucking promises.

Somehow he’d thought Tristan would show up today. He’dthought he would ride in on a white horse or something and tell him everythingwas okay and they could finally get on with their lives.

Years they’d spent perfecting their roles, and Tristan hadblown it all up for a job.

He’d thought Tristan would tell him he was done pretendingto be some arms dealer and ready to get back to real life.

All he’d gotten was a single text.

Take care of our girl.

She wasn’t going to betheirgirl after today. Hehad to pray she never found out he’d been talking to Tristan all this time.He’d played a part in keeping Tris’s secrets. If she did, she might neverforgive him.

At this point he had to think it wouldn’t matter because shewould never come back from Tristan’s distance. This was the rest of his life.Life without his best friend. Without the family he’d wanted to build.

It would be enough. It had to be.

At least he would have Carys when they eventually heardTristan was dead. He was certain this ended in one way. He knew it in his soul.

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